


Monster among us

by tropical_dream



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Japanese Mythology & Folklore, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:37:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16173368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tropical_dream/pseuds/tropical_dream
Summary: Park jihoon is an idol trainee who doubled as an undercover agent of supernatural world.Apparently, The show where he compete to debut as idol hiding things from his world more than he was prepared to.Un beta ed.





	1. Chapter 1

Looking up at the gaudy roman style english village in paju, Jihoon have a mix feeling. On one hand, he was happy that his father finally accepted the fact that his son is an idol trainee and working toward his debut. On the other hand, he was nervous for the first high rank assignment his family has given to him. 

He sighed thinking at his fate. To get away from family business isnt easy afterall. They kept pulling him with web of lies and deceit to involves him on their business.

A supranatural business on top of that.

 

_"I believe your special skill will be useful for this case" explained his dad "and...in turn,  you will have your chance to debut" he added with strained voice as if something disgusting coming out from his mouth._

_"I can confirm any youkai with my skill, but there will be 100 boys plus the staff. My power has its limit dad" Jihoon's face contorted after read the brief_

_"About that, dont worry, we'll give you Our Woojinnie to help you narrow down potential target"_

_Out of nowhere a sparrow fly over their head. It Dissapeared and a rematerialized in a form of a boy with red hair and snaggle tooth, same age as him._

_"Woojin?! But he is a delinquent! I cant control him!" Protested jihoon. Woojin is infamous for being a mischievious youkai that their family owned for a long time. His molecules that forming his human body is thin, but he is really fast and smart. Most onmyoji from his clan prefer not to bring him to covert mission because he'll be detected right away._

_"You dont need to control him. He'll report to you as per my order. No more complaining and do what you are told to or you'll lost this mission..and your debut opportunity as well" said his father sternly. At this situation, jihoon couldn't retort back afraid for his father backlash._

 

 

Back to reality, his 2 same company friends tapped his shoulder and asking if he was nervous. Yes he was nervous, but not for the performance wich he already mastered. But for the side job of screening 90+ boys and looking for the serial youkai murderer among them. 

His hunch that this will be more difficult than what his father told him is proven. He closed his eyes and focused the power on his forehead.

The scene around him appeared from the dark in the form of multi trillion  dots. Each representing the molecules that formed material world. Human have dense molecules while youkai have thinner-unstable molecules depend on their master's power.

After several minutes, he opens his eyes and shighed as if a heavy weight lift off from his shoulder. What he conclude from his observation are, apparently some of company send youkai to this show. Its either to protect their trainees or to win this thing wich -as far as he know- is super illegal.

With naked eyes, you can felt that most youkai has un-earthly vibe and magical ability. They can charm ordinary human into fall head over heels to them if they want to. Jihoon really surprised by the amount of them joining this show. If the order-Onmyoudo organisation that secretely regulates all supranatural things of this world-knew about it, they might shut down this event entirely. But that just mean he'll lost his only chance to gain recognition or even debut.

He was ordered to do what he has been told to,and thats what he'll do.

On the next couple of days, he made some mental notes regarding trainees that he encountered.

Hwang minhyun and choi minki were 100%  youkai. Apparently pledis debuted atleast 2 youkai in the group. That explain the misfortune befalled them. Youkai might be able to charm human, but on the long term, they will suck the fortune and positive energu of other human around them.

At least 1 trainee from the vibe label and 1 member from JJCC are youkai. He also checked on MMO trainees since Yoon Jisung gives him that airy-unearthly youkai vibe. His molecules even though kinda thin can be passed on as human. He still wasnt sure that he need to check him out later.

* * *

 

The 1st night at the camp, jihoon woken up from disturbance in the air. He felt fear and destruction. Someone activating their magical power..or several of them. He isnt sure. Jihoon hurriedly  get up from small bunk bed and run toward the source of energy outside the main building.

Once he arrived at the scene, He can feel, a very powerful youkai with active energy  just materialized there, and possibly still around. By the tought of it, he feels a goosebump. He is a rookie onmyoudo with special ability  to detect youkai not to fight it.

Suddenly a spike of energy felt from the left side. He turned around and see a big shadowy shape. It has 4 legs and thick fur waving in the air. Its blue eyes gleaming on the dark. It turned around after briefly exchanging looks with him and run away. Jihoon chase it not willing to loose the thing because whatever it is and  whoever owned it must hold a key to the case.

While trying to catch it, jihoon wonder if there was a high rank onmyouji among them. During company evaluation he did not feel anyone hold special power among them. High rank Onmyouji  can conceal their energy, but normally only the ones who specialized on energy regulation and preservation, not  the type who owned such strong- violent youkai.

Another possibility is that it is a masterless youkai.

The worst kind of youkai who have killed its own master, sucking their energy dry and gaining ability to blend among human better than ordinary youkai. Masterless youkai need to feed on other beings energy regularly, wether youkai or human, after their master's energy run out.

Some of them turned into serial killer

Because the order's efficient and  ruthless work decimating them, masterless youkai very rare nowadays, he never encountered one and young generation like him considered it as a folk tale.

Jihoon halt his step, not because he suddenly fear for his life (wich he actually is) but because he realize he lost it. He looked around him and concentrates his power to feel any spike of energy. The monstrous energy already dissapeared but there's a faint energy nearby . He run to its direction and found a tattered human shell of his fellow trainee, Jong Yeon. His body mutilated so bad and its energy already drained that its impossible to safe.

Jong Yeon is a yokai owned by his fellow company trainee, Kwon Hyeob who was born to the obscure branch of onmyoudo family. Like him, he also want to pursue celebrity life, but unlike him, his family support his passion, plus his power is miniscule compared to  him hence he was of no use on spiritual business.  
  
His family owned a rat youkai that been serving them for decades. Kwon hyeob brought it to the competition for luck and his protection. Wich proven to be a bad idea.

Jihoon took his phone from his pocket and call his dad  
"Dad, bad news, there's another victim..i think this is worse than we think"

* * *

 

The next morning, while Jihoon went to cafetaria for breakfast, he was approached by a man he recognized as yoon jisung.

"I heard Jong Yeon quitted the competition because health issue. Was it really bad?" Asked jisung with concerned looks after greeted him.

The order always quick to cover any supranatural accident.

"Yeah, its pretty bad, i think he needed to go back to the country side where his home town is" answered jihoon. He's been taught how to lie when it comes to their business.

"Are you okay?" Asked jisung again with genuine concerned looks "I mean, kwonnie is feeling down with Jong Yeon departure, i've talked to him, it hit him pretty hard"

Of course kwonn hyeob feeling down. He basically just lost his family heirloom after all. Jihoon scoffed inside

"Yes, its bad but i am okay" answered jihoon reassuringly.

"Good, but if you have something you need to talk about or just feeling down in general, dont hestitate to look for me" jisung hold jihoon hand as a way to tell him that he genuinly meant what he said.

In an instant jihoon feels a surge of warmth coming out from the eldest palm radiating towards his body. It something he hasn't been experienced from god knows how long.

Beside his special ability to see physical molecules, jihoon can feels a thing he calls 'surge'. It something that can only be emitted by human akin to projection of their strong feeling on his skin nerve. It can be warmth, cold, pain, itch and so on depend of type of feeling they have.

Yoon jisung is confirmed to be 100% human.

"Thankyou hyung, its mean so much to me" He grabbed jisung's palm tightly, He want to feel that warmth longer. Who knows when the next time he get to feels this kind of nice feeling again. Jisung smiled softly, he let the young one hold his hand as long as he want.

"Hyung! There you are, been looking for ya!" A huge man with pink hair basically skips and jumps toward them "Lets sit there! I have marked our chair, its warm area with a nice view!" He pulled jisung from his grasp by the arm after briefly glancing toward him. Jisung apologetically give him looks and wave goodbye.

Kang Daniel

jihoon notice him. He was easy to remember because of his pink hair and perpertual idiotic smiling face. If not for his ridiculously dense molecules, he'll suspect him as a youkai.

 

_"Kang daniel is a youkai I tell you" mumbled woojin at one of their secret meeting narrowing down yokai among the trainees_

_"In the surface he may looks like it, but my vision proved otherwise" Said jihoon_

_"I can smell it"_

_"Try harder" jihoon dismissed woojin. Delinquent youkai apparently dont know better but rely on their raw instinct._

  
   
That man with the name Kang Daniel always follow Jisung like a puppy. MMO trainees knowingly close to each other and jisung is a caring hyung to the younger ones so its just normal anyone feel attachment toward him. But the level of clinginess and infatuation Daniel has toward jisung is annoyingly, visibly high. Whenever jisung around other trainees, daniel will jumped in to join,  or pull him out  from them if he could.

Jisung should stopped dotting on him already, he is an adult big man for god's sake.

Jihoon made mental slap as he realize his observation getting clouded by his sudden interest toward the oldest one from MMO trainee. He should get it together.

He looked at MMO gang direction, daniel sitting beside jisung. If he was a youkai, He could see his tail wagging happily and his paw scrubbing jisung's shoulder and back.

He felt envious toward their closeness with each other. It must be nice to have people like Jisung on a group. People like him tend to glue the group together.

His train of thought interuppted as woojin suddenly plopped beside him.

  
"Heads up, there's order from dad"

 

With that notification, he's back into business

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Onmyoudou = traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology, a mixture of natural science and occultism.  
> Onmyouji = People with this title were professional practitioners of onmyōdō.  
> Kekkai = protective spiritual or magical force field of sorts  
> Youkai = supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons


	2. Chapter 2

_Taemin doesnt know what happened to him. He  felt his body growing cold,he cant move it at all. darkness enveloped him and his energy slowly sucked out of him. He wasnt sure if his physical body still intact. It felt like a dream, but he know it isnt because he still remember He still clutching the plastic bag from then convinience store where he bought some snacks from._

_After struggling to keep himself awake, darkness started to pull him under. There are weight on his eyelids and breathing become more difficult.  He felt he is dragged away from the light. He is ready to give up on life._

_Suddenly a white light flashed infront of him. It must be blindingly bright  because his half dead sense can see it. It passed through him several time. After a while, the lightning subsided and He felt himself lifted by someone. That someone must be either an angel or god because he feels  warmth all over his body._

_The ominous darkness and cold that previously surrounded him slowly evaporates.If dead is this comforting he can accept it, He thought while drifting to sweet unconciousness._

* * *

 

 

Taemin departure from the competition surprised the other contestant. They thought its a pity because after class re-evaluation, he was one of the favorites and had a chance to pass for the next round

"He was attacked" whispered woojin. Jihoon nodded his head. It happened while he excused himself out of dorm to deliver report to his family.

"Luckily its not fatal. Someone rescued him before the thing sucked his energy dry" added woojin.

"If only i was aware that he is also an onmyouji l could warned him about serial murderer who  have been wrecking havoc around this place" mumbled jihoon regretfuly

"It couldnt be helped tho. He hid his energy really well. He is  that type of onmyouji. Even I couldn't sense him." Said woojin

"Did you see the one who saved him?" Asked jihoon

"I am a sparrow not a bulldog. Once that thing appeared, I hid in fear of it targetting me instead" answered Woojin. He  shudders at the thought of such high level of youkai hide itself among them and targetting anyone with spiritual power. "Once i felt the preparator's energy dissapeared, taemin already gone. I thought thats the end of him but someone brought him to health room and took care the worst of his wounds"

Jihoon scoffed at his answer, youkai only know how to safe themselfes afterall. Speaking of youkai...he remembered what his family relayed to him yesterday.

"Becareful of Ha Minho, My father informed me yesterday that he is masterless youkai"

Woojin startled by this new information  
He didnt expect it at all. They already marked Minho as youkai but not a masterless one.

"Is it true?" Asked woojin in disbelief.

"Yeah, just recently became masterless. Poisoned his master last year. The order already kept an eye of him. He might be pulled out of this show soon" explained jihoon with a serious face. His eyes darted across the room, staring at a group of Vibe label's kid huddled together with ha minho at the centre of them

"Damnn youkai using his power to subdue the humans around him" whispered him bitterly.

"Jihoon ah!" A light and soft voice calling him "There you are, teacher looking at you" instantly the vibe surrounding them become bright, not excluding jihoon's face.  Woojin scoffed at jihoon after looking at his partner's face

"Jisung hyung is amazing isnt he? He can make a troubled emo kid like you whipped for him"  Teased woojin with annoying smirk plastered on his face

"Shut up, Filthy creature like you wont understand human relationship" barked jihoon

"Well..this filthy creature will excuse itself then" Woojin then slip himself out from the room before Jisung managed to reached their place

"Am I interrupting something? Where's Woojinie went?" Asked jisung confused because woojin left without greeting him

"Nothing important, come on hyung, take me to the teacher" jihoon circle his arms around jisung's right arm and cling to him. His lips unconciously curved upwards like a lovestruck idiot while they walk and talking about whatever. Every encounter with this hyung has been the highlight of his dorm life lately.  Jisung manages to makes small talk between them as an enjoyable and uplifting experience. On top of that, the warmth that radiates from him become somewhat addictive that he cant help not to be touchy with the older one. He believes its also the reason why everyone else pulled toward this hyung.

"Park jihoon!" Shouted a loud husky voice from afar. Jihoon didnt realize Daniel and Hyeongseob walk toward their direction since he chatted with jisung and immersed himself in that warm feeling.

"Teacher asked our team to assamble. Lets go" Daniel circles his arm around jihoon's shoulder and tore the younger one apart from the comfort of jisung's side. Instantly he felt a slight pinch on his skin that touched by the big guy.

The dog is not happy jihoon notes to himself

"Hyung, arent we gonna go to caffetaria first? You said you need to buy some snack" asked Hyeongseob as daniel turned his feet toward class room  
"Yea... no..i think we are gonna be late" answered daniel scratching his head with the other hand. jihoon still on his shoulder clasp lowkey trying to edged himself toward jisung in vain.

"Niel ah, hyeongsob ah, you guys gonna go together then?" Asked jisung, want to make sure that they will take jihoon to the right direction

"Yes hyung, arent you have vocal practice? Hyunbin been looking for you"  
Jisung nodded finally remember his private lesson with hyunbin.

Jihoon felt something pressed his skin again. He cant stand this man's constant whining and jelaousy projected on his skin. He forcefully pull away from daniel's arm.

"See you after practice then!" Jisung waves his hand toward the dance team and went to his own groups practice studio.

"Hyung, you sure we are not gonna stop by at caffetaria?" Asked hyeongseob dissapointed since he tailed daniel for the caffetaria at the first place. Daniel doesnt answer just staring at jisung's back until the older dissapeared from their view without noticing that the other boy beside him glaring at him.

Jihoon feels annoyed because his moment with jisung interrupted by them. He doesnt have any other choice but to follow them

 

_"Dont let your guard down"_

 

Suddenly a very faint whisper echoed inside jihoon's mind. Its a spirit message.

He looks around looking for the source and concentrate his energy to find any abnormalities within the perimeter.  There were  nothing special about his surroundings. He look at his teammates who just continue walking infront of him oblivious by whats just happened.

Spirit message can only delivered by high rank Onmyouji. He wonders if the order already planted their agent or he just heard stuff. Just then a group of rap team performance walking together toward their direction, among them is Ha  Minho who apparently has been staring at him from afar. He smirk and look away once they pass each other. With that distance he can feel his violent energy piercing his own. Its weak but sharp and erratic. It seems like he is in that phase where the energy starting to run out from his system.

"Ha minho, i need to be careful with this guy" notes jihoon to himself.

 

Or maybe not

 

Because right now jihoon facing the lifeless shell of Ha Minho. Completely drained out of spiritual energy. Pretty sure just minutes ago something killed him. He can feel it, the heavy waves of feral energy hitting on his nerve. It was  close and it was active.

Cold sweat running down his temple. After ordered woojin to Hide and contact the closest member of the order, He Ran toward the source of clashing energy against his instinct to run away. He can sense a faint energy fight this thing.

"Jisung hyung!"

He saw the older ones swatting 2 small orbs of fiery blue light flying in erratic moves taking turns attacking him.

Jihoon is not a fighter, but his reflex  to protect him from wathever creature trying to hurt him kicked in.

He forgot that it was a masterless youkai.

Once he entered the scene, one of the orbs targetting him with scary precision and  graze his shoulder as the result. Jihoon instantly felt the poisonous like nature of the orbs. It messed his own inner spirit. He fell  on his knee just from that brief encounter.

What the..jisung hyung been fighting this?!! He grasped his pained shoulder. Trying to stabilize his spirit.

"Jihoon ah! Watch out!"  
Instantly jisung stand infront of him facing the two orbs moving in helix formation and charged toward their direction.

"Shit..we are gonna die.." jihoon thought.

His spirit still not stable enough to  move.  
But then jisung crossed his hand and created a spirit shield capable of blocking the orbs combo attack.

"What the...Jisung hyung an onmyouji?" Jihoon surprised by the fact that the man with faint spirit like him capable of making parabolic kekkai. One of high level shield only a well trained combat onmyouji capable to make.

"Jihoon ah are you okay? Can you stand?"  
Jisung approached jihoon checking his wound. Jihoon set aside his confusion, once again trying to gain his composure. Once jisung touch his wounded shoulder, he  feels a warm spirit energy flow into him easing his pain and stabilizing his spirit.

"I am okay, thank you hyung"  
The kekkai slowly crumble. Signalling the creator spirit dwindling on each second.

"Here they come, stay at my back keep your guard!" Order jisung sternly.

The 2 orbs attack doesnt have pattern. Sometimes they attack each of them separately, some time they attack together at one person. Sometime one of them dissapeared leaving the other one working alone. The unpredictable nature of this battle overwhelmed jihoon. He never been to one moreover with high level youkai like this.  At one point he was sure instead of helping, he dragged jisung down. Unexpectedly jisung really good at combat. He can churned out spirit shield and offense fluidly while look over jihoon at the same time.

"Watch out!" jisung grabbed jihoon's collar and throw him slightly to the ground while the orb miss his head by hair legth.  
This position give jihoon visibility on the orbs behind jisung wich charged toward them.

"Right At your 6 o clock!"screamed jihoon. Jisung doesnt waste any moment as he make his killer offense bullet and propelled it right toward the orbs. Obliterating it instantly.

"Hell yeah!"  
Cried jihoon jumping up and down celebrating their awesome teamwork. It feels really good to have a hand in destroying the enemy.

Jisung peek behind his shoulder, smiling. But then realize the last remaining orbs already right behind jihoon.

its too close

Jihoon doesnt realize what happened, next thing he knew, he already shoved to the side witnessing jisung received a hit at his stomach.

"Hyung!" Cried jihoon in terror. With the rest of his spirit, he created ball of energy and throwed it at the orbs make it fly quite high. Jihoon run toward jisung who lied in fetal position holding his stomach in pain

"I m sorry jihoon ah..you okay?" Asked jisung with ragged breath and pained smile.

Jihoon felt a slight pang on his heart realizing this hyung even worrying over others when he himself is in pain

"No hyung..your wound" jihoon in tears feeling jisung's spiritual energy completely turned upside down. The kind of state that would knock off ordinary human or even mediocre onmyouji.

Jihoon tries to stabilize it with his own, but its useless as most of his energy just leaked out into the air instead of funnels into jisung. He instantly feels deep regret that he always skipped spiritual healing lecture, thinking there's always a team for healing stuff.

Suddenly jihoon feels a spike of energy.

Its bigger and more violent than the orbs before. A big, almost as tall as him, 4 legged glowing white creature stand just 5 metre before them.

Jihoon recognize it. A masterless youkai that he saw a couple night ago. On top of that, its an Inugami : Dog youkai known as the strongest kind among youkai.

Jihoon has no idea how it managed to reached this close without him noticing. Maybe he just too busy with jisung that his sense didnt work.

The Inugami's energy overpowers him. It Send him into shock. He can feels that it capable of killing both of them with one attack. He glanced at jisung who wince in pain and stare at the creature with unexplainable expression.

The 4 legged creature take steps toward  them. "Heck, if it want them, it need to step over his dead body" tought jihoon. If he must die in a battle, might as well die to protect the person he treasure the most  
  
Jihoon forced his shaken body to stand up and face the creature. He gather whatever energy, wich is not that much unfortunately, into offense stance.

"No, wait jihoon ah... Niel ah!! Transform yourself back into human!" Screamed jisung from his back.

 

Jihoon couldn't believe what he saw with his own eyes. The Inugami, now in the form of human he know as Kang Daniel, funnelling his energy into a human and stabilizing his spirit. It defy all the thing he learned since childhood.

He recalled his 7 yo asked his grandma to retell the story of a crane wife. A story about a crane who return favour of a man by marrying him and using her own feather to make winter cloth and kept both of them alive.

On their world the folk tale believed to tell a story about a bond between masterless youkai and an onmyouji who grew fond of her. A romantic onmyouji story if you will.

Jihoon loved that story so much

 

_"Its a stupid fairy tale dont feed him too much lies" His father said with a mocking tone from the other room_

_Jihoon's face contorted in sadness and confusion like a lost puppy, "Grandma..is it true what dad said? Is it just lies?" Asked jihoon trying to held his tears as the beautiful world he thought existed crumbled._

_His grandma smiled apologetically, he hummed and stroke jihoon's hair lovingly. Jihoon felt her kindness and warmth shoote his nerve._

_"Indeed, this kind of story is like a fantasy that hoonie will not find in this world" His grandma weaved her words carefully trying not to offend her son in law. Jihoon dad seemed statisfied with her answer and focused back to his own book._

_With lower almost whispering tone, his grandma continue "But some says the intimate bond similar to what shared by husband and wife might actually make the beautiful relationship between two creature come true" jihoon's face brightened at the notion that the folk tale still has hope to exist in this world. His grandma wiped little tears on jihoon's face and smiled fondly at him._

 

Back then,  he didnt know what intimate bond means.

Apparently when youkai become masterless and run out of energy, it will engulfed with lust  trigerred by thirst of energy. Most of them quenched it by killing unsuspecting human, onmyouji or other spirit being and drained their energy. But on rare cases they look for pleasure of physical form. At this case, the one who gives it to them will share their power during the intercourse and keep the youkai feed. This kind of relationship required high level of trust and consideration otherwise the youkai will just drained out the onmyouji or the onmyouji wont be able to transfer their energy.

As jihoon grew and learned more about onmyoudo, he came to conclusion that  grandma only said old wives tale to humour him. He learned that Youkai is a self preserving creature in nature. Without Spell to bound them to their master, its instinct is to continue to live and gain energy with whatever means necessary. Almost all cases where masterless youkai and onmyouji bond, it didnt end well that this method considered forbidden in onmyoudo.

But here he is now. Witnessing the folk tale itself : a masterless youkai sharing his energy and healing an onmyouji.  


**Author's Note:**

> So, theres names from produce 101 that made a cameo here. But i didnt put their name coz they just appear briefly. Other charachter may make an appearance. 
> 
> This story i made many months ago and just post it here to motivate me to finish it. 
> 
> This story much inspired by japanese onmyodo folk tale. Think the world like tokyo babylon/X 1999 where onmyouji and their youkai roam the modern world secretly. 
> 
> Comment and kudos appreciated.


End file.
